Given the order in which energy levels are filled in atomic configuration and the number of electrons in sodium, one can fill it up like . There is a net spin from the missing electron in the valance shell, and thus . The valance shell has (and ), since . . Thus, the form should be

Not even knowing anything about spectroscopic notation, one can deduce the right answer as well as the general form: , where can be either depending on whether

Alternate Solutions

There are no Alternate Solutions for this problem. Be the first to post one!

Comments

andyferd2010-11-12 17:35:33

When is it correct to assume ETS is asking for the spectroscopic notation of the electron rather than the atom? In a problem on a different test they give the spectroscopic notation of an atom and ask for the state of the electron after a transition (I can't remember which other practice test it is)